Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-25

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You work at home and have a problem with a piece of equipment that you use for your job.

Write a letter to the shop or company which supplied the equipment. In your letter

• describe the problem with the equipment
• explain how this problem is affecting your work
• say what you want the shop or company to do

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

Purpose: I am writing this letter because I bought the bat from you which is defected, and I want to ask you for measure.

I bought the cricket bat from your shop by last week. I was going play with this bat in my practice sessions to prepare my self for upcoming matches and to be comfortable with bat, because it is new to me. But, when I open the packing of the bat then I got to know that the bat has some serious challenges which can impact negatively on my batting. First issue, the bat is not shaped properly, secondly, it is over weighted, and the third one is about its length which less than a normal bat.

I am facing challenges to hit the bowl smoothly and on time for perfect timing, which is affecting my score and confidence. My practise sessions are very crucial for me to get selected for next matches and tournaments. Furthermore, it is putting my career in danger due to lack of practice drawbacks.

I want you to provide me a new bat as the measure of this problem.

Thank you so much.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: describing the problem, explaining the impact on work, and requesting a solution. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint. However, the content is slightly repetitive, particularly regarding the impact on practice sessions. The description of the equipment issues is clear, but the phrasing is sometimes awkward (e.g., 'the bat from you which is defected'). To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of the impact is more varied and that the request for action is integrated more naturally into the flow of the letter rather than appearing as a sudden, isolated sentence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used, though the initial 'Purpose:' heading is unnecessary and slightly unconventional for a formal letter. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'First issue,' 'secondly,' and 'Furthermore,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The flow between the description of the problem and the impact on the user's career could be smoother. Overall, the message is easy to follow, and the progression of ideas is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the necessary information. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'defected' instead of 'defective' and 'measure' used in a way that does not fit the context of a request for a refund or replacement. Phrases like 'serious challenges' and 'lack of practice drawbacks' are slightly unnatural. While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the message, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding the range of descriptive adjectives and using more precise business-related terminology would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I bought the cricket bat from your shop by last week' (incorrect preposition), 'when I open the packing' (tense inconsistency), and 'which less than a normal bat' (missing verb). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some awkward phrasings that slightly hinder the flow. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the core message, they occur with enough frequency to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct tense usage would be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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